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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rush · patient · stem · dip · roll · wax · bass · spell

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. spell — magic
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. roll — a list
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. spell — letters
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bass — the fish
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bass — low music
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. stem — to come from
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. roll — a cake
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com